The labour market of the future : trends and perspectives

Abstract

"Over the last years, the discussion on the development of the German labour market has been swinging between one extreme and the other: while mass unemployment and the decoupling of entire layers of the population from gainful employment were feared after unemployment had risen strongly to over 5 million in 2005 and once again in the course of the now-subsiding economic crisis, the catchwords 'full employment' and 'shortage of skilled workers' have come to the fore during the recent economic upturn. If economic recovery continues and the expectations vis-à-vis the labour market are met, then the discussion over the new few years will probably go increasingly in the latter direction. What is to be expected for the future of the German labour market? In order to approach this question, it is useful to take a step back and recap on the long-term developments in the supply and demand sides of the labour market. The future perspectives of the German labour market can be read off the extent to which both sides of the market match each other. In doing this, it will become clear that Germany is on the path to developing a labour market with two sides. Both sides - one with a relatively stable core labour market and the other with a relatively flexible marginal labour market - should be examined more closely: first the challenges that will result from a foreseeable shortage of skilled labour; secondly the problems of less-competitive employees who are in danger of (permanent) unemployment along with the increasing insecurity of atypical forms of employment or low-paid working contracts." (text excerpt, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Cite article

Dietz, M. & Walwei, U. (2010): Der Arbeitsmarkt der Zukunft. Trends und Perspektiven. In: Vorgänge. Zeitschrift für Bürgerrechte und Gesellschaftspolitik, Vol. 49, No. 3, p. 4-17.